


The Sith's Beauty

by disgustedqueen



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Beauty and the Beast, Homophobia, Kidnapping, M/M, More tags to be added, Slow Burn, based more on the disney movie then the original, dad!qui-gon, obikin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-08-14 02:07:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7994719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/disgustedqueen/pseuds/disgustedqueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's forest on all sides of the village. To the east is thin foliage, and is a twenty minute walk to the next city. To the left is dark, dense woods, and a menacing castle that blocks the road to Coruscant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The town that Obi-Wan lived in was a small bit that had been created seemingly overnight. It was a clearing that was nestled between the dense forests on every side, and was built with only the necessities in mind - a bakery, a grocer, a small box for post, and a smiling woman who braved the journey every Sunday to take the bound letters east to the next city over. Other things were added when Obi-Wan was young, like the tiny shop on the end of the road that sold fruit, veg, and seeds, and a library with a collection of dusty old volumes about the stars and other worldly planets. While he was excited to gather as many books that his arms would allow him, the others that lived nearby were more excited when the pub opened. 

To say he was different was an understatement. But he knew that since he was young, and had long since waved away it and followed his own heart. While the other young men played games, or went hunting and courting girls, he was content to help his aging father around the home, doing laundry and cooking dinner. He knew he was popular with the ladies, but even after agreeing to half a dozen dates with blushing blondes, he was still unable to bring himself to ask for anyone’s hand in marriage. 

“You should really marry soon, get some kids, make some memories,” The baker said, thumping him on his back. He looked down at the credits in his hand, and requested three rolls and half loaf - the usual. 

“Father still needs help. I couldn’t imagine leaving him alone, he’s growing old-” 

“Then marry some girl that can help him out so that you can finally start doing things! I don’t think I’ve seen you pick up a gun once!” The baker grinned, wrapping his goods in the paper. “You’re good looking, anyone would be happy to have you, even with your crackpot of a father.” 

“Qui-Gon is not a crackpot,” He muttered, but the baker had stopped listening, instead focusing on the Miss Ti behind him. He grabbed his bag from off the counter and shoved the change back into his pocket, grumbling. 

While he was in the village, he stopped to buy more paper and pencils, and then down to the library to pick up more books to read - that was one of his few enjoyments in life. Reading, and eating the baker’s rolls. 

The library was definitely not a highlight of the town, but a few young woman strolled the aisles for cookbooks, and a scholar could be seen in the back slouched over large textbooks. 

Obi-Wan was not interested in either. He gathered up large fantasy novels, and books of religious tales and maps and information about stars. He was an avid reader, and he knew he'd need new material by the next week. Gathering them up, he placed them on the librarian’s desk. 

“Well, this is certainly different. I didn't realize you had an interest in mythological creatures.” The librarian held up the green book. 

“Not really, I just thought it might be something fun to learn about.”

“Ah, very good. Listen, Obi Wan, I was thinking that you should go over to Coruscant. Take a few classes.” 

“Why? My father-” 

“I know, I know, boy. But you need to start thinking about what you'll do once Qui-Gon dies. If you don't want to settle and start a family, go to Coruscant. Become a teacher, it'd do you good.” 

He bit his bottom lip, mulling over the thought, and thanked the librarian for the books and the idea, intending on telling his father about it. He put it in the back of his mind, however. He didn’t have much intention on leaving the old man for a while still. 

As he was walking back down the path towards his own home, he felt someone tap on his shoulder, and then a thin arm circle around his shoulders. He glanced over to his side, glaring at the woman who had touched him. 

“Obi-Wan, wonderful to see you. I was wondering when you were planning on taking me for a second date,” Asajj purred. “The first was quite lovely.” 

Asajj Ventress was a strange case. He can’t exactly recall why he went out with her once, but it might have been something of a pity case. She was a tall and thin woman, with sunken features and tightly drawn lips, something that occured after being sickly for most of her childhood. And her sickness seemed to follow her as she aged as well, judging by the sheet white pallor. 

Gingerly, he unwrapped his arm from her shoulder. “Yes, well, we’ll see. I’ve been helping Qui-Gon with some of his star charts, I’m afraid most of my time is gone to that right now-” 

“Oh, lovely, well maybe I could come over and help you with some of the chores then, no? Have a nice lunch?”

He swallowed pitifully, not wanting to be rude. “I, yeah. Maybe next week sometime? We really are quite busy, it would be best to wait a bit….” 

“You’ll ring me?” She asked. Her thin hands were now wrapped painfully tight around his forearm. 

“I, yes, of course. I’ll see you sometime next week.” He undid her fingers from his jacket and repositioned his hands to hold his bags easier. “Uhm, goodbye.” 

He’s not sure how long she stands there after he leaves, because he doesn’t dare look back until he’s safe inside and has the door locked. He glances out the window, and sees that she’s left, and his own footprints are indented in the soft sand leading up to the house. 

Sighing, he unpacks the things he’s bought, and then wanders to Qui-Gon’s study. 

“Father?” He asks quietly. Sometimes he falls asleep at his desk, and he doesn’t wish to disturb him if he is. 

“Obi-Wan, come here.” He’s waved inside, and he waits patiently at the side of the desk for him to tell him what he wants to. 

Qui-Gon unrolls a long sheet of black paper on top of his work space, unbothered by the wrinkles that appear along it. “I’ve recently finished plotting the Ilineum system, I was wondering what you thought of it. Obviously space is quite vast, and I’m certain by the time I’m done talking to you, there’ll be a hundred more to start.” 

“It looks fine. I’m sure you could take it to the college and show them what you’ve accomplished-” 

“You think so?” Qui-Gon looked up, scratching at his beard. “I don’t want Headmaster Yoda to believe I’m wasting his time with an incomplete star chart, he’s counting on me.” 

“Well, even if it’s incomplete, I’m sure he’ll be glad you’ve gotten so far and can be assured that you’re not just throwing away all the grant money.” 

There was a pause as Qui-Gon considered his options, and then slowly stood, rolling the long paper back up. “You’re right, Obi-Wan. You’re always right, I’m proud of you.” He pulled him unexpectedly into a hug, brushing a hand through his hair. “I’ll leave tomorrow at daybreak, and I’ll take my journals too. You can watch the house?” 

“Of course,” He agreed. He pushed Asajj out of his mind. “I’ll go pack you some food to take with you. Coruscant is quite the journey.”


	2. Chapter 2

It's barely a week since Qui-Gon has left that he receives a knock on the door. He assumes it's probably a mob of villagers having finally come to their senses to kick them out for being different. 

Instead, it's Ventress. Her tone is a bit more pink this time, so he assumes she must be feeling better than the last time they spoke. He steps aside and allows her inside, not even exchanging a word. 

“He’s not back yet?” She asks. He looks up, and finds her examining a picture of him and his father. Her nails click against the glass as she picks it up. 

“No, he went through the East. It'll take a three day’s time both ways, I imagine he'll be back eventually.” 

“I heard someone say they saw him leaving through the West.” 

There's a pause, and then the light thud as she lowers the photograph. “But I'm sure he’ll be back, no?”

“I-I, yes. There’s no reason for him not to. Going through the West just means that he will be home sooner.” Even he doesn’t believe his own words. There’s countless legends and stories of horrendous beasts that roam that end of the forest, and ferocious, savage animals that could tear apart a grown man in less than a minute. 

“Of course, Obi-Wan, if that’s what you believe. But face the facts, if he doesn’t return, what do you plan to do?” She crosses the room to him, placing a cold hand on his cheek. “You really should’ve started thinking about this a long time ago.” 

“Thought about what?” 

“Why marriage of course.” She paused thoughtfully, her thumb stroking gentle circles. “You’re twenty-five, Obi-Wan. Most men would be embarrassed to still be single at your age.” 

“Well, I suppose I’m not a normal man then, am I?” He pushed her hand away, walking towards the kitchen. “Now, I believe you’re here for lunch and that is all, no?” 

“You can’t reject me!” Asajj exclaims. Her face is taut, cheeks flushed and more colorful than he has ever seen. It’s a possibility she’s on the brink of crying.

“I believe I just did,” He replies smoothly. He didn’t want the messy business of having this conversation, but since they’ve already begun it it’s far too late to take back his words. “I don’t want to marry you, or anyone else in the foreseeable future.” 

He glances back towards her, watches her wrap her arms around herself, and then convulses, tears running down her cheeks. 

 

. . .

The next few days seem to drag on. With Qui-Gon still gone, and half the village whispering rumors about him, he feels more isolated than ever. The baker refuses to sell him rolls, and the grocer doesn't look him in the eye as they ring up his goods. 

It's positively disheartening. 

None of the girls talk to him anymore, either. They whisper as he walks by, throwing pitiful looks, and clutching the crosses around their necks, as if he were a demon to be damned. 

The boys avoid him as well. They make excuses to leave conversations, and will double back if they see him walking in their direction. 

For the most part he stays to himself. He hunches over books, and adds to Qui-Gon’s star maps. Often times he’ll wake up in the middle of the night, hand clutching a mug of half-drank tea and the pages to a book stuck to his cheek.

Without his father there, he struggles. He no longer keeps a schedule, something that he was constantly trying to get Qui-Gon on, and often finds it to be dark before he remembers to eat. The only thing he does religiously is milk the cow and gather eggs, and then he resigns himself to his room and passes time reading. 

The more he thinks about it, the more he thinks that maybe he should get married. He’s horrid to take care of himself if he's not also thinking of someone else. And he would adore children. 

But the thought of marriage still makes his stomach twist uncomfortably, in a way he can't explain. He promises to himself that when Qui-Gon passes he’ll reconsider so that he doesn't waste his own life away.

It’s the twelfth day that Qui-Gon is gone, when he's relaxing in a chair with hot milk and a fantasy book in his lap, when he hears loud, incessant knocks on the door. 

He imagines a crowd of the angry villagers swarmed around the house condemning him to hell, but instead it's a lone man. Cody, and his twin brother Rex, are a few of the men who haven't be ignoring him, although Cody still makes an uncomfortable face when he opens the door. 

“Your horse, it's in the village.” 

“Which one?” 

“The white one. Artoo.” Cody steps back away from the deck. “The one that Qui-Gon took.”

“Qui-Gon is back?” He asks. 

“I- no. Just Artoo. There's his satchell, cloak and his star charts that me and Rex were able to pull off the horse.” Cody calmly gestures to the things he mentioned, which are piled on the porch. “Rex is trying to calm down Artoo enough to bring him down to you.”

“Okay, thank you Cody.” He reaches down and gathers the materials that were brought. When he stands back up, he finds that Cody has left. 

He goes inside, dropping the things on the table, expecting to hear his father walk in anytime now, Cody and Rex in on a big elaborate joke as well. 

He resigns to ringing the university in Coruscant. It takes several minutes for a secretary to pick up, and another few before he's transfered to talk to the man that Qui-Gon had gone to seen. 

The man talks backwards, and it takes several minutes for Obi-Wan to understand what is trying to be said. 

“Yesterday, Gui-Gon left, he did.” 

“He left Coruscant yesterday?” 

“Indeed.” 

“His horse returned without him, could you tell me why?” 

“I cannot, I am afraid,” The man replies. “Other duties I must attend to. Farewell.” 

Obi-Wan let's out a growl as the phone line is dropped, and he slams the phone back to the receiver. Rather than thinking he grabs his cloak and fills a bag with some food, running outside to where Artoo has been returned. He attaches the bag on and pulls himself up, leading the horse to the West.


End file.
